A Walk In Another Yami's Shoes
by yami of black chaos
Summary: Has been changed to Yaoi, by public demand. Marik and Yami Bakura have teamed up once again. Bakura is enduring strange changes in behavior and Yugi is hurt. Sorry i wont be able to finish it, and im sorry to have deleted previous reviews when I reset it.
1. Default Chapter

This Story Has Seemed to Have Developed into Some Kind of Yaoi Thing. Even Though I Don't Much Approve Of Yaoi Used As Entertainment or Fun Much, I'm Going to Give the People What They Want. So Here Goes My First Attempt at a Yaoi Fic, but Don't Worry, this Is Not My First Fic Altogether ^_^ I'm Sorry to All You People Who Reviewed this Story When it Was First Up, since I Hadn't Updated it in Ages I Decided to Take it down So I Can Work on it Without Feeling Pressured. Please Review Or I Will Not Want To Work On It. :c)  
  
PLEASE READ!   
  
If you like homosexuality, wether you are gay or not, please dont gawk at it like its just entertainment. Its reality. If you own a Yaoi or Yuri site, make the world a better place by spreading the message of equal rights for gays, and post links to equal rights sites on your yaoi or yuri site, or in your fan fics. If you can look at it or read it, and enjoy it, then you should try to do the right thing and adress reality the way you do with fantasy. People get killed and beat up... emotionally AND physically... for being gay, so to only read about homosexuality like its cute or just fun to look at is really immature. If you can handle a gay story you can handle the equality message in these sites below. I have yet to find a yaoi or yuri site with links to gay rights sites, or anything similar, and it makes the owners look like hypocrites. SO DO THE RIGHT THING!   
  
If Posting links like this is against the rules, please tell me and i will either remove them, or discuss it with FF.Net best i can. But if i get terminated for spreading a message then i hope im getting some support from people who are open minded like me.   
  
(Copy and paste links into broswer.)   
  
Pennsylvania town is forced to pay 100,000 dollars for threatening a gay teen, causing him to commit suicide. On this site there are other stories, Please browse around.   
  
http://www.aclu.org/LesbianGayRights/LesbianGayRights.cfm?ID=13577&c=106   
  
Human Rights Campaign offical site.   
  
http://www.hrc.org/   
  
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.   
  
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/  
  
Also, if you have a gay rights link you want to spread around, leave it in the review message. :)  
  
Also I don't own rights to   
  
Yu-Gi-Oh or any related titles so don't sue me, heck, I'm not even Japanese! So don't mistake me for Mr. Takahashi. I'm not good enough to be mistaken for him but anyway, I'm babbling, so lets get on with the story!  
  
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A Walk In Another Yami's Shoes   
  
Authors note: This story takes place after Duelist Kingdom, bu definitely not after battle city is over. I wont be following the storyline exactly, but that's because it will interfere with the story... :P  
  
FYI: Yami Yugi is called Yami, Yami Bakura is called Yami Bakura, hikari Bakura is called Bakura. (Ryou by his daddy) ^_~  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
It was raining outside and the dark clouds were creeping across the sky so slowly, that you could barely tell they were moving at all. Yugi and his some of his friends stood at the bus stop waiting to be taken to school. Yugi felt the humid air rush against his face as the wind blew his spiked hair this way, and that. The wind burned his eyes, prompting him to close them in an attempt to avoid being blinded by the stinging humidity. The weather had been awfully strange lately, and the weather forecasts were no longer of any help. Yugi pulled his jacket tightly over his chest as he spotted the bus down the street.   
  
"Did you study for the test we are having in history class?," Bakura asked Yugi. Yugi looked at Bakura in a face that indicated he had little or no clue what he was talking about. You know . . .," Bakura tried to remind him, "Mrs. Jones gave us a study sheet for the big test we are supposed to be having today."  
  
  
  
"Oh," said Yugi, " I kinda forgot." he said scratching his head. "Oh, well. I'll look over my sheet before class starts, it shouldn't be that hard." Bakura just made an 'Mm' kind of sound in reply, he knew Yugi was far from being on the honor roll, so it wasn't strange to him.  
  
The bus pulled up and came to a halt in front of them. Joey and Tristan were pushing each other, both trying to get on first, and Tea just rolled her eyes, and finally pushed Tristan in, and hit Joey across the back of the head, yelling at both of them for acting immature. Yugi payed no attention to this and sighed as he boarded the bus behind Tea, with Bakura right behind him. He took a seat next to the window in the back, and stared outside, watching the drops of rain slide run into each other until they were to big to stay put, and then roll down the window in blobs. Bakura took a seat next to Yugi and put his briefcase in the isle next to him.   
  
As the bus rolled down the street, Bakura occasionally glanced over at Yugi, thinking he should say something to him, but at the same time wondering if he should keep quiet. The bus made a sharp turn right, causing Bakura to almost slide over to where Yugi was sitting. He caught himself before landed on Yugi and apologized. Yugi told him it was ok, but didn't look up at him. Bakura finally decided to ask what was wrong with him.   
  
"Are you feeling all right? You look a bit down." Yugi sighed and propped his head up on the side of the bus with his arm. He started to speak, but changed his mind. He just continued to stare outside. Bakura decided since he wouldn't talk, that Tea might know something, since she was a closer friend that him.   
  
Tea sat behind them with her legs crossed as she looked over at Joey and Tristan who sat across the isle from her, talking to a blonde headed girl in front of them, they were having some kind of contest to see who she liked more, they didn't have to say it, Tea just knew from her experience with the two.   
  
"Excuse me, Tea. Sorry to bother you, but do you have any idea why Yugi looks so disturbed today? He wont tell me why so I thought you might know.," Bakura said, stealing her attention away from Joey and Tristan.   
  
"Huh," she looked over at Yugi, his small hands now clutching his Millennium Puzzle. She saw his chest go up and down with a sigh. "I hadn't noticed somehow. I'm not sure, Bakura, whatever it is, he knows his friends are here for him." Tea put a hand on Yugi's shoulder, "Yugi, you know we are here to support you whenever you need us. If you tell us what's wrong we can help, or try as hard as possible to." His eyes flickered as though a flare inside him, his dueling fire, was extinguishing. Tea hadn't seen that look since the time he almost killed Kaiba. That was around the time he realized that there was another Yugi, and later discovered his apparent name, Yami.  
  
Yugi looked down at his puzzle then up at Tea. He hesitated for a moment, and then began his explanation. "Ever since I dueled Kaiba I don't know if I can trust Yami any more. I'm not a murderer but I almost became one when Yami nearly knocked Kaiba off Pegasus's castle. That scared me, Tea."  
  
"But Yugi! I thought after you beat Pegasus, that you and Yami were close again! I mean after all, when you were too tired to go on he took over for you, and finished the duel by himself! He helped you save your grandfathers soul, Yugi!" Tea looked at Yugi now, her eyebrows scrunched, almost angry with Yugi for not trusting Yami anymore. "And to top it all off, the 'Other You' is no where near as evil as the 'Other Bakura.' You remember that incident when we first discovered that Bakura was on the island, and he trapped us in the cards and even sent Joey and Tristan to the graveyard! On the other hand, Yami saved your grandpa, and helped you get the money to pay for Joey's sisters operation. Not only that but if I recall, he saved me once from being mugged. That's something I still am grateful for."  
  
  
  
"I know that Tea, but I had this dream about Yami that made me wonder how good his intentions really are..."  
  
"What happened in the dream, Yugi?"  
  
"Well Tea. It was honestly more like a nightmare, but I'll tell you how it went." Yugi and company had entered the building by this time. And were close to their 1st class already. Yugi started his story as they continued down the hallway. "I was in a pyramid, in ancient Egypt. There were hooded people standing all around, and they were all chanting something... I can't tell what. It was in another language I believe. But they were all chanting with their heads down, and I was standing in the middle of them, holding the puzzle. I looked down at the puzzle. And it began to turn red, I then dropped it, thinking it was getting hot. I didn't feel any heat, but I thought I did so I panicked. When I dropped it, it shattered into pieces, and all the pieces scattered all over the room. The hooded people heard the shattering sound and looked up at me. Their eyes were white, and their faces black."  
  
"I have those weird kinda dreams too, Its from playing to many video games and reading too many comics!" Joey was trying to be helpful, but as always, just ended up looking really.... well, looking something other than helpful.   
  
Yugi and Tea sat down in class and Tea mover her desk closer to Yugi's, so that she could give him her full attention. Tristan and Joey were more interested in horseplay than what he had to say. Yugi scratched his head and continued, "They weren't comic book characters, Joey." Joey apologized and Tristan grabbed him around the neck, "I'll make sure he doesn't interrupt you again, Yugi." "Thank you Tristan," Yugi said, "Anyway, Tea, they looked at me with these white eyes, and then they look at each other. They began to whisper something to each other, and I started to run. But I didn't even know my way around the pyramid and I got caught in a booby-trap. It was some kind of circle with symbols around the edges, and it glowed. Some kind of force held me within the circle. I just stood there because I knew I couldn't leave. I fell to my knees, and when I did, a man with a white wrap of some sort on his head comes out of nowhere. It was dark in the room where I was, but I recognized him. It was the guy that I met after Duelist Kingdom. He used a Millennium item on me. It looked like a key. He unlocked my mind with it or something. He was looking for whoever stole Pegasus's eye."  
  
Yugi had the gang's attention. Especially Bakura, he looked at Yugi in an odd way, his eyes seemed narrower and his hair had a strange look to it as well. "Please, do go on, Yugi."  
  
"Yeah what did the guy do?," Tea said with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Well he came up to me, and he says, 'You have the power now, and there's nothing you can do but await your destiny.'"  
  
Tea's eyes got wide and she clasped her hands together. Joey and Tristan just blinked. Bakura on the other hand was seriously into this. His face was stern, which was unusual for mild little Bakura. He stared, his eyes fixed on Yugi.   
  
"What do you think it means Yugi?"  
  
"Well, Tea, I'm no dream interpreter, but as far as I can see. Since in the dream I dropped the puzzle, and I shattered it, that means it wasn't meant for me. Maybe I got the wrong item, or maybe I shouldn't have one at all."  
  
"But Yugi . . ." Tea was cut off by Joey.   
  
"Woah, Yug! Ya musta had one of them psycho dreams!"  
  
"Psycho, Joey? Don't you mean psyCHIC?"  
  
"Whatever, Tristan. You know what I mean! Just shut up!"  
  
Bakura had stood mostly silent among all this, and Tea noticed. "So what do you think, Bakura? You have an item, do you ever feel that way?"  
  
Bakura smirked, barely noticeable really, and then his face was straight again. "Well, Tea, I had the exact same dream! Except in my dream, the guy with the white turban told me . . ." Bakura stopped and looked down.  
  
"What did he tell you Bakura?," Yugi asked, his eyes wide open, and fixed on Bakura now, as Bakura had been with him before.  
  
"I don't know if I should tell you, Yugi..."   
  
The gang pleaded with 'Bakura' to tell them what he was hiding. "Oh, alright, but don't tell anyone, ok?" They all swore they would not tell, and begged Bakura to tell them what the stranger had said. "He told me that something valuable in my possession belonged to someone else, that I was meant to have something different. He said my destiny was not clear, not even to the gods!"   
  
Yugi stared at him with amazement, his eyes full of hope, while the rest of them just looked with their jaws dropped open, and eyebrows cocked. "Not even to the gods?," Yugi said.  
  
"No . . ." 'Bakura' put his head down and folded his hands underneath him, propping himself up on the desk.   
  
"Then maybe Bakura, that we DO have he wrong items! It is possible that maybe we were meant to have each others items!"  
  
"Wait a second, guys . . .," Tea warned, "What makes you think fate would screw up and give you the wrong items? I mean, fate is fate, right?"  
  
'Damn that stupid whore,' Yami Bakura thought to himself, 'she's going to ruin everything.' But then he got an idea...   
  
"Wait, Tea! How do you know that it wasn't fate that we get to experience the items we have, and later figure out as time passes, that we were meant to have each others items. Maybe fate is testing us, or teaching us a lesson." Bakura looked optimistic, and Yugi looked hopeful.   
  
This didn't sound right to Tea. Bakura seemed a little excited about this, while she wasn't so sure that it was meant to be that way. "Bakura! Maybe your right! Maybe we have the wrong items!"  
  
"Do you really think so, Yugi? I mean, if you think it is possible?"  
  
  
  
"Well I know it sounds 'iffy' but it still sounds possible."  
  
"So do you think we should trade?"  
  
"Hm.," Yugi thought for a few moments, and looked at his friends. Joey and Tristan made no suggestions, and Tea told Yugi that it was up to him. "I guess we could try it . . ."  
  
'This is just excellent! I'll have the most powerful item of all, and then it will be a synch to win the other one from Yugi in a duel as long as I have the puzzle.' Yami Bakura thought. "Then it's settled," he said. "We'll trade!"  
  
"Wait, Bakura. What if we find out that it wasn't meant to be? I think we should just trade for a little while. Maybe about a day or 2."  
  
'Dammit!,'Yami Bakura thought. 'This might be more difficult than I had expected.' "All right, Yugi. For 2 days."  
  
"Lets shake on it Bakura." Yugi held out his hand to Yami Bakura. "If after 2 days, we discover that these items were in the right place all along, we will give them back to each other." Yami Bakura reluctantly shook hands with Yugi. He carefully took the ring from around his neck and Yugi did the same with his puzzle.   
  
Tea watched as they traded and she began to worry. 'What if something bad happens because of all this?,' she wondered to herself. 'Id hate for one of them to get hurt. What if they can't control the items?' If only she only knew . . .  
  
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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Yugi walked to his second class with the millennium ring around his neck, the moment he put it on felt a strange rush within himself, like some kind of supernatural high. He felt different, somehow, but thought it was probably all in his head. He had a different 2nd period class than Bakura, so he couldn't tell what was going on with him and the puzzle. Naturally, he worried about it, but he tried to shrug it off, knowing Bakura probably felt the same way about his ring.   
  
He held the ring in his hands, examining it to every detail. He had no idea how to use it for anything... He barely knew the extent of his own puzzle. Yugi began to think it was broken, he could not get it to do anything, if it DID anything. He knew it could send people's minds to the shadow realm, that 'Bakura' acted strangely on occasions, and that the ring was suspected to be the reason why. He didn't expect anything like that to happen to him; after all, Bakura's ring didn't even HAVE a spirit inside of it to his knowledge, so there was nothing to worry about.   
  
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Inside the puzzle, Yami Bakura was gloating. He was finally in possession of the Millennium puzzle, even though it was for a short time. He wasted no time examining it and attempting to unlock its secrets. He had cleverly sealed a part of himself in it previously, when he helped Yugi get the pieces during the Bandit Keith accident at the warehouse, so it was no problem to control little Bakura's body with the puzzle, while still being able to control the ring to some extent. Seeing as how he had to put more of himself into the puzzle when they traded to maintain control over Bakura, his power over the ring was limited until they traded back But he did not mind this, it was a small and temporary sacrifice to enable him to have the power of the Pharaoh in his hands for a few days.  
  
He wasted no time before exploring the vastness of Yugi's item. Inside the puzzle he saw many rooms and staircases, all leading to unknown places, some with trap doors and collapsing floors. He treaded lightly, knowing that the Spirit of the Pharaoh was somewhere in the puzzle too, and it was inevitable that they would butt heads eventually. Being the cocky jerk he was, he cared little about the Pharaoh, and about Yugi. He was happy for a change, though, that he had a new body to control, even if he did not have complete control, it allowed him to explore new options. It was easier, for instance, for him to see what Yugi saw, the ring he now wore made it easy to see through his eyes, and to read his mind occasionally, if he was close enough.   
  
Bakura made his way around the puzzle, entering the rooms, one at a time, looking for some clue how to unlock the power hidden inside. He entered a room full of video games and toys, and then a room full of nothing but darkness. He began to get irritated. He headed up a flight of stairs, dimly lit by an unknown light source, and soon found himself in a long corridor. 'There must be something here of importance.,' he thought as he continued walking. He approached a door marked with hieroglyphs, from his ancient knowledge of Egypt, he easily translated it. It stood for 'mental' or 'mind' and another part stood for 'strength.' There were also some more symbols, but they were hidden in the shadows. The corridor was barely lit, and he couldn't make out what it said, exactly. He mumbled to himself, trying to figure a way to light the hallway enough to read it.   
  
"Dammit! Ill just enter anyway! ," he said aloud. He discovered that the door was locked, but there was room for a key in the doorknob. "How the hell will I get this damned door open?" Now that it was confirmed that the door needed a key, he was on a desperate search for it. 'I must have the pharaohs power... I can't let that menace Yugi get a hold of it.'  
  
Mrs. Lopes, his Spanish teacher, noticed his spaced out look. "Mr. Bakura? Would you like to tell me what the phrase I just stated means?"   
  
Yami Bakura released himself from the puzzle and looked up at the teacher. "I would like to make a phone call." Mrs. Lopes looked at him and pushed her glasses up on her nose, surprised. "That's what it means doesn't it?"  
  
"Go to the office!"  
  
"What?! I did nothing!"  
  
"I'm tired of you not showing up to class, and then when you do show up, you get an attitude? Mr. Sweeney can handle you. Its off my hands now."  
  
"Like hell it is you stupid bitch!"   
  
The class all ooh'ed and aah'ed at his sudden outburst. Bakura, sweet little Bakura, was growing a backbone it seemed. They ate it up like x-mas ham. Mrs. Lopes on the other hand, was furious.  
  
"Go now, Bakura! Before I get you expelled!"   
  
Yami Bakura trudged off to the principles office, cursing under his breath. He could still hear the class applauding him and showing their support as he walked down the hallway. Yami Bakura was riddled with acclaim, and he was almost enjoying the rush. 'I could have easily disposed of her if I had the ring with me, but I know the pharaoh wouldn't allow me to abuse the power of his item. So there's not much use in resisting authority while I reside in the puzzle.'   
  
Tristan was coming down the hall opposite the way Bakura was coming. "Where ya goin' bud?"  
  
"That idiot Mrs. Lopes sent me to the office. I'll explain later. I'm not in a talkative mood right now."  
  
  
  
"Sure . . ." Tristan knew that it wasn't like Bakura to get sent to the office, he came to the conclusion that since he was so quiet and sweet, that it must be for missing so many days in class, or having too many tardies. Then again... Tristan noticed a hidden agression in Bakura, one that first caught his attention on Pegasus's island. "He's not fooling me." Tristan said with a grin.   
  
Back in Mr. Sweeney's office, Yami Bakura sat in the chair closest to the door. Occasionally peeking out to see if anyone was coming down the hall. He held the millennium puzzle with both hands, and fingered it carefully, feeling every crack between the combined pieces of it. 'Its only a matter of time before you are mine forever..,' he snickered silently.  
  
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Meanwhile, as Yami Bakura awaited his sentencing, the bell rang. Yugi exited his second block class, and met up with Joey and Tristan in the hallway. They shared the same 3rd block class, P.E. Today they were running the mile, and Yugi, not exactly being the athletic type, grumbled. He would rather play video games than undress in front of a bunch of sweaty guys in a locker room. Being the short little bishie he was, it made him uncomfortable.  
  
  
  
Mr. Thomas, the P.E. teacher, approached Yugi as he entered the gym. "You better dress out today. You don't want to fail the easiest class in school, do you?"  
  
"Heh." Yugi sighed and walked into the boys' locker room. He cringed as he walked past the big, muscular jocks. He kept his head down and tried not to look any of them in the eye as he went to his locker. Yugi entered his combination, and his locker swung open, hitting the locker next to it with a loud BANG! Slowly turning his head toward the other boys, he nervously waved to them as they glared in his direction. He turned away from them and tried to undress himself. His hands shook like leaves as he tried to unfasten all the buckles on his shirt, and finally he gave up. He pulled on his gym shirt over his muscle shirt, and put on his jogging pants without taking off his denim jeans. He knew he would be hot, running the mile and all, but it wasn't worth letting those guys see him in his underwear.   
  
Yugi exited the locker room as Joey and Tristan entered. "Yug!'" said Joey, "you actually dressed out today!" Yugi explained his situation, and Joey had a good laugh at his expense. Tristan on the other hand, wasn't finding the humor in this. He grabbed Yugi by the back of his shirt, and drug him into the locker room. Yugi scrambled around as Tristan drug him, trying to free himself.   
  
"All right, Yugi," said Tristan, "this is where it ends. You can't fail a class and miss out on a high school credit just because you are afraid of a few guys. They're harmless!" Tristan turned toward the other men in the room, who had been staring at the two since they came in. "Look, guys," Tristan addressed the others now, "don't act like a bunch of fags. If you want to get to know him better, ask for his number." The jocks, and nerds alike all turned red and looked away. "See Yugi, that's all it takes. Tell em their homos, and they either back off, or kick your ass. But it's a risk you have to take if you want to pass this class."  
  
Yugi, embarrassed, thanked Tristan and pulled off the first layer, instantly feeling better seeing as how he wasn't under all those articles of clothing. The room silently continued preparing for P.E. All Yugi could hear was the rustle of cloth, the sound of lockers slamming shut, and an occasional whisper. When they were all ready, Yugi, Tristan and Joey exited the locker room and walked out to the track field. Yugi was ashamed at how he had handled himself back in the locker room, he had never been the extremely courageous type, but the courage he did have seemed to have gone somehow. He felt like a part of him was missing, and it made him weak...  
  
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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Yugi got home after school and collapsed on his bed. He contemplated all that had happened today. Yugi had felt strange all day, as though a new presence was inside him. He had been worrying himself about the puzzle all day, and the way he had handled himself at gym bothered him. He felt ashamed. He hadn't buckled under pressure before, he just didn't dress out because he didn't like to. But today was different. He didn't feel like himself . . .  
  
Grandpa called Yugi downstairs to eat dinner, "I'm going to the store, Yugi," said grandpa, "Also I have a few more errands to do, so I might be out for a couple of hours. Be good, and if you invite someone over, make sure you clean up the place a bit first. Likewise, if you go somewhere, please lock up."  
  
"Sure, grandpa.," Yugi replied. He forced himself out of bed and opened the drawer in his oak dresser next to the window. He pulled out his baby blue pajamas. They were covered in stars and smelled like fabric softener. Yugi brung it up to his face and inhaled deeply. The fresh, clean smell calmed his nerves a bit, causing his muscles to become loose and his shoulders to relax. He closed the drawer and pulled out the one underneath. Yugi carefully chose a pair of boxers and left his room with his clothing in hand. He walked into the restroom and opened the closet door. Yugi then quickly chose a washcloth and a towel, and turned on the bathtub faucet, letting the water run as hot as he could stand it. As he waited for the water to fill the tub, he pulled open the bathroom cabinet, and got out the bath bubbles. Yugi gently unscrewed the top and breathed in the smell of apple emanating from the bottle, he poured it in and didn't wait for the bubbles to form before he undressed himself and got in.  
  
Yugi let out a relaxed moan as he slid down into the warm water. 'This really feels good,' he thought. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he purposely released the tension in his muscles. He tried hard to get is mind off of today's events, but he could not. He turned off the water and looked down at the Millennium ring. He picked it up from the floor where he had placed it before he got in the bathtub, and stared wonderingly down at the hanging triangular shaped bits that hung from the circle containing the pyramid with the Millennium symbol on it. There were five in all, he counted.   
  
He wondered to himself about the item. What did the Millennium symbol stand for? Did it just stand for millennium? If it did, then why was it important enough to put on the most sacred items in existence? He scrunched up his forehead as he pondered the possibilities. 'How do I make this thing work?' He shook the ring vigorously, trying to get it to do something . . . anything! He was about to give up when he noticed a strange glint of light on the corner of the pyramid. It started as a small glare, and spread until it covered the whole item. Yugi recognized this. It was the same thing Pegasus's eye did when he was preparing to do something evil. Yugi jumped in surprise and dropped the puzzle into the bath water. He stood up immediately as the water began to glow; obviously being illuminated by the item. He held his place there, frozen, as a glowing light snaked its way out of the water, and onto his dripping wet body. Yugi began to feel strange, the light crept around him, engulfing him in a glowing force that he could not fight. He opened his mouth to yell out something, to whom he did not know. The second he opened his mouth the light made its way down his throat, suffocating him, and stifling any other screams that might have been in him.   
  
Yugi's heart began to pound and he felt a immense pain in his chest, his heart was palpitating. 'It must be the item,' Yugi thought. 'There's no other explanation. I have to gather my strength and get help . . .' Yugi tried to move his legs, but he couldn't. 'I can't give in,' he said in thought. 'I can't . . .' and then there was nothing but darkness as he felt himself falling, collapsing within himself . . .  
  
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Yami Bakura was already at 'his' home when school got out, suspended, to the disappointment of his father, from school for 3 days. When his father arrived at school to pick him up, he immediately made it clear that 'Bakura' was grounded for a month, maybe longer. Yami Bakura was not worried about this, he only wanted to acquire the Pharaoh's power, not hang out with friends or go to arcades. As he saw it, being grounded just meant he would have a lot of quiet time to himself to search the puzzle. And he did so.   
  
As soon as Yami Bakura arrived home he went into 'his' room, locking the door behind him. He wasted no time before situating himself on the edge of the bed and reentering the puzzle. To his gratitude, once he reentered, he was back at the door with the strange markings. And to his disappointment, he was still short one key, "Damn! How the hell will I get this damned door open?!"   
  
"That's not yours." said a calm but deep voice. He saw no face, no figure, but he knew he heard someone. 'Its no one but that fool of a Pharaoh.' he thought to himself.  
  
"I've been waiting for this moment. I knew we would meet again, Yami."  
  
"And who are you?"  
  
"I am called Bakura," said Yami Bakura, matter-of-factly. He turned around to see none other than Yami standing in the entrance to the corridor containing the door he was trying to open.  
  
"Why are you here? Are you responsible for the severing of my link with Yugi? You better not have hurt him, or you will regret it." Yami's voice was getting more serious now. "You are not the young boy who they call Bakura, you are something else. Something that lives inside him . . . uninvited. I sensed it during our duel you on Pegasus's island. You cannot possibly be the innocent Bakura. You are too full of hate. I have sensed your presence before."   
  
Yami Bakura snickered. "You are right to a point, Pharaoh. I am not Bakura, while ironically, I am him in a way. And as a matter of fact, I am somewhat responsible for you having lost your connection to Yugi. Your sense of deduction is impeccable. And also your timing. Now give me the Key to the door marked with the hieroglyphs."  
  
"I will give you nothing, but I must admit, 'Bakura', that you are quite bold. First you somehow take Yugi's puzzle, intrude this sacred place, and then you order me to give you a key to a room that belongs to me. Are you trying to push me over the edge? You have made an unwise decision in coming here."  
  
"Silly pharaoh, you cannot harm me, try sending me to the Shadow Realm, it will not work, I came back the last time didn't I?"  
  
"Of course I cannot send you to the Shadow Realm, so I will not waste time trying, I challenge you to a duel. If I win I get Yugi back, and if I lose . . . you decide."  
  
"Pharaoh, such a kind offer for your friend, you'd risk a great deal for the little bastard wouldn't you?"  
  
"Mind your language in this sacred place. My partner is everything to me and I will defend him at all costs. Calling him out of his name will only make things worse for you." Yami's face turned grave as his eyes began to burn into Yami Bakura's soul. His voice softened. "Yugi is a kind person with a courageous heart, you have no right to disrespect him."  
  
"Yami, honestly, if you want to know, he doesn't trust you, or care about you."  
  
"What are you talking about, Bakura?" Yami's eyes grew cold. "What gives you that idea . . . or the right . . . to make such a claim?"  
  
"Well, Yami, after that Kaiba business Yugi was afraid of you. He got over it for a while, but he had a dream that indicated to him that you were not trustworthy, and suggested that he was not even meant to have the Millennium puzzle." Yami Bakura chuckled at Yami now, he knew this was getting to him. Yami's weakness was his love for Yugi, and Bakura knew this all too well.  
  
"Liar!" Yami's voice boomed inside the puzzle, echoing loudly off of the walls. "Yugi would never have told you that, we discussed the situation ourselves right after the incident with Kaiba. He forgave me and I vowed never to do anything without his consent again."  
  
"Maybe that was true at one point in time, but he doubts you now."  
  
Yami glared at Yami Bakura now. He was furious,. What he said couldn't be true. Or was it? Yami tried to block these thoughts from his head, he knew that Yugi would never just, give up on him. He would never give up or walk out on anyone.  
  
"What's the matter? Afraid of the truth? Afraid of being alone again?"  
  
  
  
Yami said nothing. He was speechless. It couldn't be true. If it was, how would he fix it? He had to figure out something, but for now he had to deal with the problem at hand, Bakura. "Duel me now! You have crossed the line, and I cannot risk you harming Yugi."  
  
"No.," said Bakura. He knew that Yami was exceptionally powerful when it came to dueling, and that if he lost to him, he could easily be forced to give up his ring. "Chances are that your poor little Yugi is already hurt. When we exchanged items I put a considerable amount of negative energy into the ring. I had to cleanse my soul to a significantly pure amount before I was allowed to enter this puzzle and explore it. I am from the ancient times of pharaohs as yourself, and I know the rules regarding these scared items." He said nothing else as he watched Yami grow more angry, his eyes flaring, his fists clenched. He knew that even though he would not duel him, he had to face him somehow, and force him to give up the Key.   
  
"Coward . . ." Yami said, pointing at Bakura now. "You will duel me!" Yami was desperate now, he figured that a duel was the only way to save his hikari. He eyed Bakura, watching him closely, trying to figure out what to do, trying to figure out what Bakura would do. He was familiar with the items, and since Yami had no memory, he knew that Bakura would have better control over the items that he would.   
  
"Actually, im not much of a coward, I just don't take unnecessary risks. I want to duel you one way or another for control over this item, just not with duel monsters. We must figure something out. When you get an idea, pop in to tell me, in the meantime, I will leave you for now."  
  
As Yami opened his mouth to speak Yami Bakura vanished, fading out into the shadows around him.  
  
'Yami was taken aback from the bluntness of Yami Bakura's statement. How could he save Yugi? Who knows what danger he is in..'   
  
******************************************************************************  
  
Meanwhile, Yami Bakura did not waste time worrying. He had business elsewhere. He knew that an ancient Egypt exhibit had opened at the Domino Museum and deftly leapt out of the window of 'his' room, landing some 10 feet below. But he knew that to walk that far, even in a borrowed body, wouldn't work.   
  
The dark spirit headed south, opposite the direction of the museum, looking to 'hitch' a ride. He stuck his thumb out and a red pickup slowed to a stop beside him and he got in. A rather ragged old man was driving. "Where you headed?" The old man started southward without waiting for an answer.   
  
Bakura said nothing and just grinned. He placed his hands around the Millennium puzzle and chuckled. But nothing happened. The old man looked at Bakura, baffled. Bakura realized what happened all too late. The item was not working for him! His plan had been to use shadow magic to kill the old man and steal his car, but it appeared that the puzzle was broken or something. "Ra, Dammit! This piece of shit!," he yelled loudly as he shook the puzzle furiously. "But all the Millennium items contain shadow magic! Why does this one not work!?"   
  
The old man pulled over. "Young man, can I help you or not? What is that hunk of gold around your neck?"  
  
"Of course you can! Just . . . wait a minute! And this "hunk of gold" is what will bring about your end, old man!" The old man took his statement literally, preparing to open the door he turned away from him. Thinking hastily, Yami Bakura grabbed the old man by the arm and told him not to move. Panicking, the old man pushed the gas, causing the car to accelerate, and Yami Bakura to fall forward. Hitting his head on the dashboard, he fell unconscious.  
  
*********************************************************************** 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Tristan was at home when he got a call from Tea saying that Yugi was in the hospital. He immediately called Joey and Bakura. Joey answered the phone and was on his way to the hospital without hesitation, while Tristan was calling Bakura's house. After what seemed like a few hundred rings Bakura's father answered the phone.   
  
"Mr. Bakura, hi its me, Tristan. I go to school with Bakura, uh, I mean Bakura, and I wanted to talk to him."  
  
"He's grounded. I'm sorry but he can't talk on the phone or go anywhere with you tonight, or for quite some time."  
  
"I understand. But this is different. I'm not calling to hang out, our friend is in the hospital and I thought it was important for him to know in case he would like to visit. He's in Domino Hospital, but he's in pretty good condition. He just seems... out of it. Please give him the message."  
  
"I sure will, and since a friend is in the hospital, this would be an exception. I'll bring him over right away."  
  
"Thanks Mr. Bakura."  
  
When Tristan arrived at the hospital, Joey was already there with Tea. "Where is Bakura? Did you get in touch with him?," Tea asked.  
  
"No, but I left a message with his dad, they should be here in no time."   
  
They all stood around Yugi, Joey pacing beside the bed and Tea holding his hand. Grandpa Motou came in and Tristan got up to give him the chair he was sitting in.  
  
"Thank you Tristan."  
  
"No problem. Now tell us what happened, how did he get this way?"  
  
"Well, I came in the house after running some errands and I put up the groceries. I noticed that dinner was still on the table, untouched. I figured maybe he wasn't hungry and forget to clear off the table so I didn't think much of it. When I got upstairs I smelled the scent of apples from the bubble bath. It's Yugi's favorite. I knew he was in the bathroom, and not wanting to bother him I went to my room and took a nap. I woke up about an hour later and he was still in the bathroom, so I called out to him. I didn't hear an answer so I opened the door and he was just . . . laying there . . .," His eyes began to tear up and Joey handed him a napkin. Grandpa Motou listened to Joey, Tristan, and Tea try to comfort him. Nervously he played with the napkin, folding and unfolding it, distracting himself from the situation with pointless fumbling.   
  
"We know this is hard. Mr. Motou, its hard for all of us. But we're here for you.," Tea reassured him.  
  
"Have you talked to the doctors about what is wrong with him?," Tristan asked.  
  
"They can't figure it out. He's just... not there anymore. My boy isn't there anymore..." Grandpa Motou began to cry and Tea rubbed his back, trying to comfort him before she too, ended up crying. Joey sat on the window sill, and Tristan stood behind him as they looked out of the window down at the cars below the building. He watched them go by like fireflies; each one lit up and each one carrying a different person, with a different family, going on about their lives, going home to their loved ones.   
  
"Tristan, what do you think happened?"  
  
"Well, I think it had something to do with that weird ring. They said when he got here the ambulance brought him wrapped in a towel, and besides that he was wearing nothing. But I'm sure he probably was near the ring when he fell unconscious. I never liked it anyway. I threw it out in the middle of the woods from Pegasus's castle when we were in Duelist Kingdom, and somehow Bakura ended up with it right back on. Now Yugi isn't even wearing the ring, and this has happened. IT makes me wonder..."  
  
"Creepy . . . I think we should go back to the game shop and see if we can find it. We need to make sure."  
  
"For once you've got a good idea, Joey. What if we do find it? We cant let Yugi get a hold of it again, it could hurt him."  
  
  
  
"Well what are WE going to do with it if we find it?"  
  
"Uh, I'm not sure. We'll figure that out when we get there."  
  
"Right! Let's go!" Joey jumped up from the window sill with Tristan behind him and rushed to the door.   
  
"Hey! Where are you guys going? You should stay here with Yugi. He might wake up.," Tea said. Tristan explained that they were going to the game shop to look for something important, and that is was to help Yugi, but did not tell the what it was.  
  
"Whatever you are looking for, boys, you can't find it without this." Grandpa's hands shook as he handed Tristan the key to the game shop and he and Joey left immediately.   
  
'Poor guy,' Joey thought.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Back at Bakura's home, his father had already discovered that he wasn't there when he went to tell him Yugi was in the hospital. "I don't know what's gotten into that boy. He used to be a straight 'A' student, and lately he's been skipping class and not doing any of his homework. It's his freshman year and I don't want him to get off on the wrong foot. High school is the first step to becoming a responsible adult." Bakura's father put on his coat and shoes, ready to leave the house on a search for his son as the phone rang. It was the Domino County police department saying that they had found Bakura and it was urgent that he come down to the station right away.  
  
Mr. Bakura pulled up in the station parking lot and got out of the car. A police officer was standing outside of the door and met him on the way in. "Are you Mr...," The police officer looked down at a manuscript in his hands. "Jonathan Bakura?" He answered yes and the police officer took him inside and led him to a room full of desks. He saw Bakura sitting in a chair with handcuffs holding his arms behind him. Bakura looked up at him, an addlebrained look on his face.  
  
"Father. I'm so sorry. I . . . I don't know what got into me . . ." His father said nothing and sat down at the desk next to his son. The police officer read him the story as the old man had written it down on the police report.   
  
"Seeing as how he had threatened this man with the necklace he wore around his neck, we were forced to take it from him and put it in the evidence locker.," the officer explained. "The man involved decided not to press charges since there was no harm done, but we had to take the 'accused weapon' from him when he was arrested. Its harmless... So you can have it back after filling out some papers, and then we will release your son as well."  
  
"Thank you," Mr. Bakura replied. "I don't know what got into my son. Lately he's been acting strangely, and I can't figure out why. He's always been such a nice, quiet boy, I think it might be some kind of rebellion stage."  
  
"Well, sir, this is the 21st century. Kids are growing up faster than we did. There's nothing we can do but try to help em' and let them do the rest on their own. I suggest you have a talk to your son, and if all else fails, we've got a program for kids like that."  
  
"A . . .program . . .? Like bootcamp?" Bakura got a twinge of fear that made his heart jump with those words.   
  
"Its, ok, son. I'll talk to you about this when we get home. Lets just get you out of those cuffs first, eh?" Bakura just nodded as his father filled out the necessary paperwork.   
  
'How did this happen?,' Bakura thought, 'And why was I wearing the puzzle instead of my ring?' Bakura's stomach let out a low rumbling sound. 'I am so hungry . . .' Bakura thought, 'What has been going on with me lately? I can't even recollect anything past getting on the bus this morning . . .'  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Joey and Tristan arrived at the Turtle Game Shop on Tristan's motorcycle. Opening the door with the key they had received from Yugi's grandpa, they stood in the doorway a while before entering. "You go first, Joey."   
  
"No way! I don't know what's in there!" Joey pushed Tristan forward causing him to lose his balance and fall into the building.   
  
"Well I guess you win." said Tristan malcontently. Joey cringed in the door way before getting dragged in by Tristan. "Come on. Let's check out the bathroom."  
  
  
  
They entered the bathroom, pushing the door open a bit at first, and then more until it was completely ajar. Neither of them saw anything suspicious at first, and then they spotted it. The bubbles had cleared long before they got there and the water was clear as crystal. There set the Millennium Ring. They eyed it suspiciously at first before Joey reached in and picked it up.   
  
Tristan panicked. "What the hell are you doing? You don't just pick things like that up!," he yelled as he knocked it out of Joey's hands onto the floor. The ring hit the floor with a clang and they stood back, afraid it was about to do something. But it didn't . . .   
  
"See, Tristan! Everything's fine," Joey said picking it back up.   
  
"Well then what happened to Yugi?"  
  
"I'm not sure, but nothing's happening now."  
  
Tristan picked up the ring with his jacket, timorously wrapping it around the item until no part of it was visible. Under the circumstances, he wasn't going to risk anything. Tristan was despondent to touch the item, and was appalled by Joey's nonchalant attitude towards doing it himself, especially since he had been opposed to even enter the game shop at first.   
  
"So what are we going to do with it Tristan?"   
  
"I'm not sure, but we can't let anyone come to close to this thing until we're sure it wasn't the ring that hurt Yugi." They locked up the shop and got on Tristan's bike. Tristan turned around and headed in the opposite way they had gone to get to the hospital.   
  
"Where are we going Tristan?"  
  
"Somewhere we can hide this thing until we get things figured out. I don't want it at my house, and I'm sure you don't either so we've got to find somewhere to put it."  
  
Joey nodded and they continued riding around Domino until they came to Battle City. Tristan spotted a storage house that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Getting off the bike, he and Joey walked up to the shack and tried to open the door, it was locked.   
  
"On my count we kick the door open," Tristan said walking back to the bike and pulling his chain out of the back compartment. He set the chain and lock down on the ground and stood back. "One. Two. Three!" He and Joey fell in as the door swung open under the force of their weight. They got up and dusted themselves off. Joey quickly found a place to hide the ring.  
  
"Look here, Tristan!" Joey pointed to a corner riddled with junk and dirt. "If you put it under that junk, no one will think to look here."  
  
"Great idea, Joey. Maybe your brain is growing back or something." Tristan snickered at himself and Joey hissed at him. When they got done hiding the ring they exited the building, Tristan chained the door locked and tugged the lock to make sure it was on good. "Lets get outta here and back to that hospital with Yugi."   
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"Did you see that Odeon? Those idiots were hiding something."  
  
"Yes, master. Would you like me to check it out?"  
  
"Yes. Those are the little fools that hang out with the Motou boy." Marik cackled. "He's the keeper of the Millennium puzzle... This might lead us to its whereabouts."  
  
Odeon and Marik left for their hideout, in search of a crowbar or something that would allow him to access the storage house. Marik gloated immensely.   
  
"Soon I will have what I truly desire..."  
  
*********************************************************************** 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Bakura's father began the drive home. It was a short trip, but to Bakura it seemed to drag on for ages. His father was rather placid during the ride, and his soundless approach to the situation made Bakura apprehensive. Bakura's eyes were drawing tears as they neared the home. Noticing this, his father decided to make light of the situation. " I didn't know you were so aggressive. I'll have to watch you or before I know it you'll have joined a street gang." Mr. Bakura let out a soft effortless chuckle. Bakura, on the other hand, just stared at the road, silently pondering his future. He was worried about how his father would handle all this. And what about the puzzle? It was Yugi's so he had to give it back, but how did he get it on? And why on earth would he try to use it as a weapon?   
  
'I wonder where my ring is', he thought. 'I should call Yugi and see if he has it. If I have his item he might have mine.' "Father," Bakura asked timidly, "may I use the phone and call Yugi? The puzzle is his and I need to see what happened to the ring you gave me."   
  
"That reminds me," said Mr. Bakura, "when I discovered you were gone I was on my way to tell you that Yugi was in the hospital. Your friend Tristan called and told me to tell you. I'll take you there now." He made a sharp U turn and headed the opposite direction.  
  
Bakura shook his head. "Why on earth would he be in the hospital?"  
  
"I'm not sure, son. Well have to see when we get there."  
  
Bakura said nothing and tried to piece together the events of the day. 'If I tried to hurt someone with the puzzle, maybe the ring did something to hospitalize him. If his item put me in jail.. Who knows?'  
  
They pulled up in the parking lot of the hospital and got out of the car. Mr. Bakura walked up to the nurse at the front desk. "Do you know where Yugi Motou's room is?"   
  
"Let me see," said the clerk with a smile. She quickly typed up something on the computer. "Ok, the person you are searching for is in room 21D. He would be on the 4th floor where all the 'D' rooms are."  
  
"Thank you." The clerk just smiled some more and nodded. Bakura and his father got on the elevator and Mr. Bakura pushed the button for the 4th floor. As the elevator hummed, father and son stood silent. Bakura felt his heart thumping, he was worried about his friend and worried about himself as well.   
  
The elevator came to a stop and they followed the signs until they reached Yugi's room. His father stood back and let Bakura open the door himself. The door creaked open and Tea looked up at him from a desk in the room across from Yugi's bed. She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Bakura! Its awful! We don't know what's wrong with Yugi, he's just laying here and no one knows why he wont wake up..."  
  
"When did this happen Tea?"  
  
Tea released her arms from Bakura's neck and explained the story as she had explained it to Joey earlier. Bakura seemed baffled, 'he's lucky he didn't drown while he was unconscious.' he thought. He walked up to Yugi's bed where Grandpa Motou sat beside him. "Hello, Mr. Motou."  
  
"Oh, hello, Bakura. What took you so long to get here?"  
  
"Its quite a long story. Id rather not say actually... Right now Yugi is what matters.."  
  
Tristan and Joey burst into the room. "Is he ok yet?," Joey blurted out, disturbing the odd silence of the room.  
  
"Shh." said Tea. "He hasn't woken up yet. Where have you two been?"  
  
Joey opened his mouth to tell her the story about the item and where they put it, but Tristan silenced him. "We had to go take care of some things. We're sorry we had to leave Yugi, but it was important. You know we wouldn't leave a pal hangin' with no good reason." Tristan then handed the key to Grandpa Motou and sat down next to Yugi's bed.  
  
"But we are here now, and that's all that counts.," Joey added. "Hey, Bakura! Where have you been?"  
  
  
  
"Yeah," said Tristan. "I called forever ago!"  
  
"Some things came up with us as well, Tristan. We got here as soon as possible."  
  
Joey and Tristan nodded understandingly. They all sat down and prepared for a long night. Even though it wasn't spoken, they all knew that they could not leave Yugi in the hospital, they all wanted to be there when he woke up.   
  
Mr. Bakura patted his son on the back and told him goodnight. He did not mention the incident earlier, knowing these were hard times for Bakura. Something was going on with him that he didn't quite understand, but he knew it must be stressful for him having someone he cared about in the hospital, so he left him alone.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Odeon had returned to the storage house with a crowbar, and quickly pried the lock open, breaking it. Marik was behind him, highly excited to see what was in the storage house. He entered and looked around, not seeing anything of interest, but knowing there was something there. "Those guys did not go through all that to keep someone out if there was no reason to," he thought. "Odeon, search this place from top to bottom. I wont leave until I find something of interest. There had to be something here worth hiding."   
  
Odeon nodded as he began to practically tear the place down. He threw things left and right, knocking things over and pushing things around, before something caught his attention. He saw a faint glinting light in the corner of his eye, and turned to see where it came from. He noticed something in the corner of the shed, and walked cautiously over to see what it was. Marik walked up behind him and ordered him to see what the mysterious flickering was immediately. Odeon reached down and picked up Bakura's shining piece of ancient jewelry.   
  
"Odeon! It's the Millennium ring! This is a rare find... what ignorant imbecile would knowingly put this powerful item in a simple tool shed?!"  
  
Odeon stared down at the item and shook his head. "It doesn't matter, it belongs to you now, Master..."  
  
"You are very right, Odeon. It IS mine now... Even though this is not what I want. But maybe I can use this somehow..." Marik pondered to himself as he exited the shed with Odeon in tow.  
  
*********************************************************************** 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
Bakura came home the next morning, hitching a ride on Tristan's motorcycle. The wind through his hair and the feeling he got from holding onto Tristan seemed to ease his mind... for the time being. Tristan pulled up to the driveway and waited. Bakura hesitated.   
  
"You ok, bud? You're hanging on pretty tight back there."  
  
Bakura released his secure grip. "Oh, sorry about that. Things are going on at home. I'm not sure I really want to be here right now. Facing my father has proved rather intimidating..."  
  
"You wanna come back to my place? My parents are out of town and you can stay as late as you want. We could rent some movies, get some pop corn..."  
  
"No. Its alright, thanks. I have to come home eventually and there's no need in stalling."  
  
"I see."   
  
Bakura could tell a twinge of disappointment in Tristan's voice. "We can hang out some other time." He then thanked him and walked up to front door. Tristan stayed and watched, making sure he got in the house safely. They waved goodbye once Bakura's father answered the door and Tristan left.   
  
"Good morning father.," Bakura said timidly.   
  
"How is your friend?"  
  
The son replied that Yugi had not woken up, but that he had seemed healthy to the doctors when he left. He was glad his father hadn't gotten straight to last night's incident. Bakura would rather not have talked about it, but it was still rather unavoidable.  
  
"Son, sit down." Mr. Bakura said to him, nodding toward a chair in the kitchen. Bakura sat down and avoided eye contact. "Son, if something is going on with you, I really want to know. I know its hard for you not having a mother, and you might feel like something in your life is missing. But look at society, Ryou. Everywhere there are drunks, drug addicts, and convicted felons, you can't live your life that way. You'll only end up in prison... or dead." He placed a hand on Bakura's shoulder and looked his son in the eyes.  
  
Bakura looked at his father and then back down at the floor. His eyes were watering. His father noticed and handed him a paper towel from the roll on the table. "I may not say it often, but I love you son. That's why I worry about you. I don't want to punish you, because I know that you have always been a respectable son and student. That's is perhaps why I am troubled by your arrest."  
  
"I'm baffled too, father.," Bakura said between sobs. "I can't remember anything I did, it seemed like I got on the bus yesterday morning, and then I was dropped off at the police station. I don't remember anything in-between!"   
  
"Ryou, are you participating in any illegal activities?" Mr. Bakura choked on his words. "Drugs or anything, son?" His father took his hand of his sons shoulder and got a saddened look on his face that Bakura had never seen before. It was disappointment...   
  
"No, father." Bakura looked up at his dad now. "I don't know what's going on with me. My friends have told me I've done a lot of strange things and I'm almost afraid of myself. But I don't let anyone know. I figure if I ignore It... It'll just... go away."  
  
"I think you should go to the hospital, Ryou. I don't want to jump to assumptions, but you may have some kind of personality disorder. The way you act now, compared to the way you act when I'm not around..."  
  
"No!" Bakura yelled this loudly and it took his father back some. He had never been the one to yell... especially at his father. "I'm just under stress that's all." Bakura blocked his father's idea from his mind and pushed it away. His father got up and hugged him and then left the room. Bakura sat and wondered about what his father had said, and about the Millennium items. He tried to piece together what might have happened, how he could have blacked out...   
  
"Here." Bakura's father reentered the room and handed him the Millennium Puzzle. Bakura looked up at him. "Since it doesn't belong to you, you should return it to its rightful owner. I trust you wont be threatening anyone else with it. There's not much damage you can do with it anyway, but I know you're responsible enough to return it to Yugi's grandfather since he is in the hospital." He gave Bakura a $20 bill and told him to take the greyhound to 31st street in downtown Domino. "I know the bus doesn't cost much, but you can grab lunch or something while you're out. I'm upset that you are suspended, but you need to get out of the house more anyway."  
  
"Yes, father. I wont let you down this time. Thanks for trusting me..."   
  
Mr. Bakura nodded and patted his son on the back. "Everything's going to be fine."  
  
Bakura left the kitchen to take his shower and threw on his striped blue shirt and a pair of jeans.   
  
"Don't forget your coat son. Its going to be raining later on."  
  
"Thank you father." He exited the house for the bus stop with the puzzle in his hands.   
  
The bus pulled up and Bakura stood there. "You getting on, kid?," the driver asked.  
  
Bakura said nothing and put the puzzle around his neck. He boarded the bus, payed the driver and went to a seat a great distance back. He sat and waited as he held the Millennium Puzzle and looked down at it wonderingly. The bus stopped and picked up more passengers...  
  
A tall, dark man in a hooded cloak walked toward the back of the bus and stopped in front of Bakura. Bakura noticed his glare and nervously said hi as the figure stared at the puzzle. Eventually the man sat down in front of his seat and said nothing. The bus rolled to a few more stops, letting people off and allowing new people to board.   
  
The man in front of Bakura stopped to talk on the phone. Meanwhile, the bus pulled up at 31st street and Bakura got off. The tall man followed him toward the hospital, quickly saying something into the phone and hanging up. Bakura noticed and got nervous. He still had a complete block to walk and there weren't many people around.   
  
He turned a corner hoping to find a building to go into but instead found more hooded figures. He started to yell but the one that had followed him first placed his hand over his mouth and drug him into the shadows of a dark alley. There he called someone else on his phone, and in no time a car had arrived to pick them up. The man pushed Bakura in and told him to be quiet and he wouldn't get hurt. Bakura said nothing. . .   
  
They arrived at a building in a run down part of downtown Domino, called battle city for the "Duel Monster" tournaments that had been held there in the past and would be held in the future. The tall man, who Bakura had figured to be some kind of a leader for the others, knocked on the door and another hooded figure opened it. There were so many that Bakura figured running would be hopeless. He was pushed in and forced to sit in a chair where he was watched closely. It didn't take long for another hooded figure with a long rod of some sort approached him.   
  
This figure laughed hysterically and pointed at Bakura with the rod he held. "You have something I want!" He pointed at the puzzle Bakura wore around his neck. "I find it odd that you are not the boy who once possessed it. But... what's in the puzzle is the only thing I'm after. But I can't simply take it from you. Do you own dueling cards?" The figure spoke in a scratchy villainous voice that was just a bit creepy, and it made Bakura uneasy.  
  
"I have some... I don't play usually. I don't keep my deck with me either."  
  
"Dammit. I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Marik and I'm sure you have met my loyal servants, they are all around you." Bakura looked up at the tallest one. "Ah, yes. I see you have met Odeon. Entrancing isn't he?" The figure called Odeon grinned silently.   
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Your Millennium Puzzle of course! I don't desire to use it really, and I only need something from the puzzle, then it will be useless to me. So hand it over."  
  
Bakura said nothing and looked at him with no fear in his eyes. He chuckled deeply and Marik took a step back. "You moron. You don't want the items? I will be more than happy to take them off of your hands."  
  
"What is this? Have you no... fear..? You are in pursuit of the items also?"   
  
"Afraid of who? You? Him?" He stood up and Odeon stood in front of Marik in a protective pose. Yami Bakura looked up at Odeon and made a shooing motion. "You're goons are pathetic and so are you."  
  
Marik pushed Odeon out of the way and stood in front of Yami Bakura looking at him eye to eye. "You can do better? With my Millennium Rod I have anyone I want at my beck and call!"   
  
Yami Bakura said nothing, but chuckled again. Thus pissing Marik off even more. Both were arrogant, and both were not in a mood to be taken lightly. "Hmm. You want only the puzzle?" Marik nodded and Yami Bakura continued with his proposition. "What is it that you are after then exactly?"  
  
"This is personal business, the only thing I need or want it the Millennium puzzle. And after long, it will be quite useless to me. It will go much faster if you hand me the puzzle. It will be returned to you after a while if you cooperate."  
  
"Then we don't have a problem really. If you join me, we can share the profits..."  
  
"Join, YOU? I have established a secret society of rare hunters and I have unlimited resources..."  
  
"It wont be much of a secret if you keep rambling about it. What do you plan to do with the puzzle? Are you after the pharaohs power?"  
  
"No, I'm after the pharaoh period. Power means nothing to me, if it wasn't so useful I probably wouldn't even want the rod anymore."  
  
"So you would be willing to give up the rod once your goal was reached?"  
  
"Mmm..." And a nod.  
  
"Well... Marik... If you don't intend to harness the power within the puzzle for yourself, then we may be able to work together. I can help you get whatever you want with the Pharaoh, then I'll take the puzzle and the rod off of your hands. I can't give it to you right now, for I only reside in it temporarily. I am a spirit of the Millennium ring, and opposition to the pharaoh. But once I have the ring again, and I discover how to force the Pharaohs hand and win his puzzle, then I will drain his power, and destroy him."  
  
"Well I'm not sure... I don't want the pharaoh destroyed. I need him... His survival is important to me."  
  
"I don't have time to wait for your answer. I have things to do. Museums to visit... I will negotiate, however."   
  
Marik looked at Bakura questioningly. He did not know wether or not he could trust him, but he was willing to take a chance. "Then you have the power you desire, and I will have the Pharaoh, unharmed. These are my terms. If you don't like them take your negotiations elsewhere, and I shall take my rod elsewhere. Not to mention the puzzle. Because I will get it eventually, and you will be out of luck."  
  
Yami Bakura grumbled and reluctantly agreed to Marik's terms.  
  
  
  
"No tricks..." he held out his hand and Yami Bakura stared at him.  
  
  
  
"I can't trust you to seal this agreement with just a handshake."  
  
"Oh? Then what did you have in mind."  
  
"A contract, written in blood."  
  
Marik looked at Bakura reserved, yet he was not really surprised.  
  
"In my old age, I prefer to do things by the more old fashioned ways, rather than by doing just the most conservative."   
  
Marik unsheathed his dagger, hidden within his Millennium Rod. "Lets do it then. I don't have any more time to waste talking with you. I have things to do as well."  
  
Bakura told Odeon to get some paper, a small container and a feather pen. Odeon looked at him angrily and Marik nodded at him, gesturing for him to obey. Odeon grumbled and walked off. After Marik and Bakura carried out their agreement, Yami Bakura headed toward the hospital again, forging a plan to somehow keep the puzzle for at LEAST one more day... 'Once I have the power, and my ring, I will obtain Marik's rod, and become even more powerful. Then our deal will be over and I can destroy the weakened Pharaoh anytime. This plan is guaranteed to succeed... as long as we both keep up our ends of the bargain.'   
  
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	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Grandpa walked around the infirmary room, straightening up and anything else to keep busy. Yugi had not moved at all on his own yet. And the doctors said he seemed brain dead physically, but nothing was wrong on the examinations they gave him, so that a diagnosis was impossible right now. Solomon was worried that his grandson would never wake up.  
  
The door burst open and Tea ran in the room and straight to Yugi's hospital bed. She put her hand on his and looked up at Solomon. "I take it he hasn't woken up yet.." Grandpa shook his head. "Not even for a second?!" Again, Solomon shook his head and looked down at the floor. He walked over to the window and looked outside at the clouds. "Tristan and Joey are coming too, they all wanted to take baths too since we had stayed her all night and were planning to stay all today too."   
  
"Yeah... I just packed some stuff and brung it here. I'm not planning on leaving any time soon. The game shop isn't important right now. And since I'm a parental relative I'm allowed to take showers here and the hospital even has a laundromat in the basement. Pretty convenient..."  
  
  
  
Tea sighed and nodded. She felt bad for Mr. Motou. His only grandchild was in the hospital and there was no other family to share his pain with. Tea heard the door and turned to see Bakura walk in. "Bakura!"   
  
"Hi, Tea. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. There were some small errands I had to do. I got here as quickly as possible. Has he opened his eyes at all yet?" Tea shook her head. "Hm.. That is very disappointing. Id hate to miss it, but it would have been comforting for him to have woken up wether I was here or not."   
  
Tea nodded and looked down at Yugi then back up at 'Bakura.' "His puzzle..."  
  
"Oh, yes.. That's why I came here, Tea." He walked over to Solomon who hadn't even turned around to see Bakura and was still staring without expression at the clouds and sky outside. "Mr. Motou," Yami Bakura said in his gentlest voice, "I know you gave him this puzzle when he was young, but I feel attached to it, like having Yugi right here with me. I hope its not too much to ask, but do you think I could hold onto it for him until he comes to?"   
  
Mr. Motou turned around and looked at Bakura. He picked up the puzzle, while it was still around Bakura's neck, and held it for a second. "I guess it would be alright. I wouldn't want to take it away if it means that much to you, especially right now..."  
  
"Thank you Mr. Motou. It's comforting to have a part of Yugi with me. This means lot to me..."   
  
Solomon nodded and they all turned to see Joey and Tristan enter the room. They all welcomed each other warmly and Joey squandered no time getting right to the specifics. Tea explained that he had not shown any movement yet, but that she knew that Yugi would pull through.   
  
"Bakura, it stopped raining about an hour ago, and the humidity is so thick. Why on earth are you wearing a jacket?" Solomon looked at Bakura questioningly  
  
"Well I guess I just get cold so easily... I haven't had an appetite lately. I need to get my energy up. I am a bit skinny."  
  
Everyone in the room chuckled... except Yugi. This was a major downer for them all. Not being able to share their laughter with the one person who kept them all in good spirits, making sure that everyone got along and doing whatever he could to help anyone...  
  
Bakura walked up to Yugi and held his hand for a second. Then told everyone he had to go home and left.   
  
Tea wondered what was going on with Bakura. They had all planned the night before to stay with Yugi as much as possible until he recovered from his unknown illness. 'How can he leave his friend hanging? I hope he has a good excuse for coming so late, and leaving so quickly at that.'  
  
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Bakura woke up the next morning with his clothes on from the day before, and his hair a tangled mess. 'I'm so tired...' Bakura's mind was fully functional, but his body didn't seem to want to obey orders. He thought about reaching out for the alarm clock, which was going to ring in less than a minute, but his arm refused to budge. It was sore. He heard the door creak, but was too tired to look around.   
  
"Breakfast is ready. Since it's the weekend I was hoping we could spend some time together. I have the day off and today we're going to do some things together for a change. I also would like you to meet someone... a friend of mine." Bakura's father heard a low grumble from under the sheets as the alarm sounded its repetitious ringing. He saw a hand emerge and turn it off, then the same hand slid quietly back underneath the sheets. "Ryou? Are you ok?"  
  
"I... I don't feel well..." Ryou heard faint whispering through the blue cotton and nylon bed cloth and slowly pulled away the covers.  
  
"Hi, Ryou. I've heard so much about you! I'm sorry that our first encounter is in your time of illness. But lucky you, I'm a nurse!"  
  
Bakura stared up at the unfamiliar shapely figure in his doorway. Her shortly cropped black hair curled delicately around her face, and her long slender legs seemed even longer from Bakura's point of view. "How ironic that when I am sick a nurse just pops up out of nowhere..."  
  
"And fortunate. Meelah has a masters degree in the medical field.." His father said with a smile. "Your voice sounds horrible too. It must be a cold or something."  
  
"That's exactly right. Its just a cold. A few hours of rest by the fireplace should have me in working condition again. There's no need for any assistance."  
  
"Oh, Jonathan, he's so sweet." She squeezed his hand and smiled. "Its no problem, Ryou. I want to help you. Making people feel better is what makes me feel good also."  
  
"That's right, son. I've got some fun things planned for us all to do together today. I want you two to get to know each other."  
  
There was an odd silence in the room as Bakura stared at them both emotionlessly, and then silently submerged himself in cotton again. "I can't believe you would bring a woman into my room who is obviously a girlfriend I had no knowledge of until this very moment. I don't desire to spend time with either of you any time soon, so leave me alone!" Bakura clenched his fists in anger and swore at the top of his lungs.   
  
Then the door slammed... he thought that his father would ever slam a door on purpose, and especially not so hard on mistake.   
  
The door creaked open again but Bakura didn't look out. He'd have rather not seen the expression on his fathers face to make him so angry. Jonathan peered behind the door and in front of it again. Then he looked at Meelah. She shook her head silently and Jonathan closed the door again.  
  
Bakura lay there for quite some time, overrun by fear and anger, his brain felt like a rotting peach shriveling around a pit of indecisiveness. Tears welled up in his eyes... 'Why can't I control myself anymore?'  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
The phone rang and Bakura fumbled around in the dark looking for the receiver.. "H... Hello?"   
  
"Bakura? I'm so glad you finally answered! Yugi showed some movement about 30 minutes ago. We were talking and Joey mentioned his name. He immediately moved his fingers and made a sort of grumbling sound. Its not very much but its great compared to his previous condition. Get down here right now!" And a click.  
  
" . . ."  
  
Bakura rose quietly and looked at his clock. It was past 7:30 and the moon wasn't quite out, but the bugs were up to their usual chatter, buzzing and chirping a tribute to the darkness, making him nostalgic. He quickly got a whiff of himself and realized that he had not taken a shower in over 24 hours. "Better get cleaned up. I'll have to take the 8:15 to downtown Domino or I won't be able to make it tonight."  
  
Bakura pulled his dresser drawer out and slid his clothes around, looking for something remotely decent to wear, without having to iron it. There was nothing in the top drawer but his striped blue shirt, which had an odd reddish brown colored stain in the left sleeve. "That's odd. I wonder if this shirt has even been washed..." He closed that drawer and hastily opened the next in line, sliding more garments around until he felt something hard. He pulled out the Millennium puzzle. "What on earth am I doing with this still? And where's my ring?" He didn't have time to figure it out. It was 7:45. "I'll just have to take this to him tonight..."  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
Tristan and Joey were arm wrestling and Tea was busy keeping grandpa occupied by allowing him to teach her how to play spider solitaire. Her phone rang. The ominous melody interrupted their silent session.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, Tea. I just called to let you know I'm on the bus headed to the hospital. It's the strangest thing, but I seem to have held on to Yugi's puzzle unknowingly. I meant to return it yesterday, but it was in my bureau. I'll bring it to-..."  
  
"Hello? Bakura? Are you ok? Hello?" Tea hung up the phone and turned around. "Grandpa Motou, Bakura just called me saying he had Yugi's puzzle and that he wanted to return it. He was saying something else but he got cut off."  
  
"He wants to return the puzzle tonight? I thought that he wanted to hold on to it until Yugi was better. Or at least that's what he told me yesterday." Solomon sighed. "I suppose he changed his mind. "  
  
"So he kept it on purpose? He said that he thought he returned it."  
  
"How strange."  
  
"Not for Bakura..."  
  
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End file.
